Month: April 2015

Wow, this film looks pretty bad. And cliché. Let’s see (1) crackhead black mama (2) menacing thug brother **watch Jason’s Lyric for the epitome of this**(3) black boy student depending on basketball career/scholarship to give him a better life (4) light-skinned love interest…although for a change it’s a guy this time and (5) someone seeking fame/pop stardom. Maybe I am just getting old, but you would think films for young black folks would have progressed from these storylines by now. I was watching these type of films when I was a teen back in the late 80’s/90’s. The only difference now is characters are cussing each other out via smartphones/social media. KeKe Palmer tends to be underused as a young actress so good luck to her and her film. But I will pass. 🙂

Y’all know I love a good Do It Yourself (DIY) project. Check out this fascinating Indiegogo campaign…

“Citizen of the world, Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor changed the way we talk about women, race and food. VERTAMAE is a self-described, “6-foot-tall Geechee girl with dark skin, a flat nose, and full lips.” She is the author of four books, including the groundbreaking 1970 autobiographical cookbook, Vibration Cooking or the Travel Notes of a Geechee Girl, which inspired the emerging critical studies movement of Food as Cultural Memory.” https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/travel-notes-of-a-geechee-girl–2

The project is being led by director/writer Julie Dash. I’m sure folks remember Dash for her groundbreaking movie “DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST.” I actually got to see Dash a few years ago when she visited my campus to talk about her work on “Daughters…” and the ongoing struggle of Black women filmmakers. Especially those who want to go outside the box of romantic comedies/Tyler Perry type films.

The other day I decided to treat myself to a movie. Life’s been throwing me a few curves lately, so I just wanted to relax and let buttery/greasy popcorn take me away. Imagine my dismay to only find repeat offender Fast and Furious 7 (7? Really?!), a kids flick (“Home”), and the boring looking “Longest Ride Home” (I loathe romantic films) playing at mainstream cinemas. I turned to a local indie theater to find something decent. My curiosity got the best of me when I saw the ad for “Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter.”

“A jaded Japanese woman discovers a hidden copy of FARGO on VHS, believing it to be a treasure map indicating the location of a large case of money.”http://kumikothetreasurehunter.com/

The film was very good. I was surprised to learn upon further research that the movie was inspired by the true story of Japanese office worker, Takako Konish. See, I would’ve never learned about this if I had watched Vin Diesel screeching another car down the highway.

Lilada Gee founded the day as a way for Black women to address sexual violence/other issues that have impacted our lives. In a society that is very hostile to Black women…how can we stay emotionally/mentally/physically healthy. Gee was inspired by her own life experiences.

“Lilada Gee was 6 years old the first time an adult family member sexually abused her. Throughout the ensuing years, she struggled with issues related to the abuse; including clinical depression, post-traumatic stress and low self-esteem. Now, as an adult, she is committed to helping girls and women who are victims of child sexual abuse, heal. Lilada’s Livingroom began in the living room of Lilada’s home, after she publicly shared her tumultuous journey of healing from childhood sexual abuse. Girls and women who were in the audience started showing up at her home, in her living room to find a safe place to heal. Since that time, Lilada has traveled from coast-to-coast and abroad, creating safe places for women and girls to rid themselves of the shame, secrets and stigmatism of abuse.”

The organizers at my event provided a creative space so that attendees could express themselves any way they needed to. Whether it was making cute African dolls (with just fabric/wire!!) or painting our hopes/dreams…it was a cathartic event. And of course there was lots of food. You always have to have food 😉 Gee Skyped in. She was lovely, of course. I could tell she was moved by our participation.

Inspirational dolls made by attendees.I was eating everythang 😉I tried to get my paint on!

Ack! I hate it when I find out about good DIY campaigns just as the deadline is closing in… 😦

“Ashley Williams is an accomplished local actor in Portland, Oregon. She is in the last weeks of an Indiegogo campaign with her mom, G.G. Williams. They are raising funds to film and produce a film about sexual assault. They are seeking to raise $10,000 by April 9th.” —http://theblackportlanders.com/

If you don’t know (but should) April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). Black women often have to deal with issues of sexual violence/harassment/stalking on their own. There tends to be racist/sexist stereotypes around Black women’s sexuality. A lot of it has to do with our culture needing to justify sanctioned/historical abuse of Black women’s bodies in this country.

“The U.S. is one of the few places in the world where mass rapes have occurred systematically against an entire race of people (African-American women) and there has been no outcry from human rights communities, no processes for justice, no acknowledgement or recognition of such violations and its impact on the culture of violence against Black women today.” –http://www.blackwomensblueprint.org/sexual-violence/